Current-deflector.



L. KELLEY.

CURRENT DEFLEGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1909.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

nu: mum's PETERS cc, wAsu/ncrou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE KELLEY, 0F CONCORDIA, KANSAS.

CURRENT-DEFLECTOR.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Application filed July 21, 1909. Serial No. 508,821.

for diverting the current into predetermined channels and causing the filling up of the portion of the already formed stream bed from which the current is directed by the installation of the deflector, thereby causing a deepening of the channel of the stream and a like narrowing of the stream or river bed. The result is that eroded river banks are filled out and land reclaimed while the channel of the river or stream is deepened.

The invention comprises a floating structure anchored at one end, the upstream end, to the river bank while the angle of presentation of the floating structure to the direction of flow of stream is readily controllable from the banks of the stream, the means employed aiding in retarding the flow of the stream through the deflector so that shoals and bars are formed and the river bed wlthin the confines of the deflector is rapidly filled.

The invention will be best understood froma consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings-- 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the deflector in. position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the deflector. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the face of the deflector. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 at right angles thereto, certain of the parts being shown in cross section.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a boom 1 made up of a suitable number of timbers placed end to end, tree trunks or discarded telegraph or telephonepoles or like timbers being preferred. One end of the boom is anchored to the shore as indi cated at 2 while the individual timbers making up the boom are joined together by cables 3 preventing the separation of these timbers in a direct-ion longitudinal to the boom. At appropriate points lateral timbers 4 are placed with their inner ends against the bank or shore of the stream andtheir outer ends attached to the boom 1. WVhile round timbers may be used for this purpose it is preferred to employ squared timbers as such timbers will more readily direct the flow of the stream than will round timbers.

The timbers 4: where necessary are made up of a number of separate pieces joined end to end or overlapping and secured together and these timbers are arranged so that their outer ends are slightly downstream. The timbers 4L may underride the timbers 1 and are secured by ropes or cables 5 made fast to the timbers at and encircling the timbers 1. The several timbers 4 are held in substantlally parallel relation by longitudinal cables 6 connected at one end to the anchorage 2 and extending across the several timbers 4:, being secured to each timber at the crossing point.

By the employment of an appropriate number of cables 6 the whole structure is effectually tied together with the boom 3 extending outward from the shore at an angle to the flow of the stream, the anchorage being up-stream and the other end of the boom onflowing current of the stream. The tim bers 4 are held from buckling by means of the cables 6.

Made fast to the boom 1 is a strip of wire netting 7 of large mesh, such, for instance, as is commonly used for fencing. Whereever the timbers 4 are connected to the boom 1 the netting is cut away to allow the pas sage of these timbers. Wherever the cables 6 traverse the timbers 4 they may be connected thereto by staples 8 or otherwise. Suppose that in a stream or river there be a cove or bend of the shore and it be desirable to cause the filling up of this cove or bend so that the shore line will be correspondingly straightened. Under these circumstances a boom 1 is formed and anchored at the upstream end of the cove or bend and timbers 4 are progressively connected to the boom in the downstream direction, these timbers 4 being long or short as necessary to impart to the boom 1 the desired degree of angle to the flow of the stream. The parts are all fastened together in the manner described and the boom will maintain its angular position to the stream with the wire netting 7 depending therefrom toward the bottom of the stream. The surface of the stream is deflected outwardly toward the center of the stream by the boom 1 and the timbers 4 behind the same while all floating or semifloating material which will not pass through the meshes of the wire screen 7 are caught thereby and it not arrested are deflected out toward the center of the stream.

The comparative stillness of the water back of the deflect-or accelerates the deposition of matters from the water and the filling or shoaling of the stream back of the boom so that ultimately the shore line is straightened and the channel is deepened as well as straightened. Y

The entire structure is a floating struc ture requiring anchorage only at the upstream end while the timbers 4-. operate as braces holding the boom outward at the desired angle.

While the invent-ion is by no means limited to an minutiae of construction, the manner of connecting the timbers 4 to the boom 1 by carrying a strand diagonally along one side of a timber l, thence over the boom 1 and down and back diagonally along the other side of the timber 4, the tie wire or rope being stapled atintervals, forms an eflicient tie and constitutes the preferred manner of connecting the timbers to the boom. Instead of tying the timbers to the boom in the manner described any other suitable method of securing the parts together may be employed. The anchorage shown in F ig. 1 is to be taken as illustrative only, being employed where there is a high bank. Another arrangement of the upstream end of the structure is shown in Fig. 2.

hat is claimed is:

1. A current deflector comprising a chain of logs in the form of a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a downstream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream and bracing timbers in substantially floating relation to the stream, said timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a downstream direction and secured at the off-shore ends to the boom.

2. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a downstream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a downstream direction and secured at the offshore ends to the boom, and cables extending from the anchorage to the several bracing timbers and secured thereto.

3. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a. stream in a downstream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a down stream direction and secured at the oft-shore ends to the boom, and flexible connections extending from the anchorage end of the deflector and secured to the several bracing timbers.

4. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a down stream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a down-stream direction, and secured at the oft-shore ends to the boom, flexible connections extending from the anchorage end of the deflector to and secured to the several bracing timbers, and a pervious apron depending from the boom.

5. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a downstream direction and secured at the offshore ends to the boom, cables connected to the anchorage end of the deflector and extending to and secured to the bracing timbers, and a pervious apron depending from the boom.

6. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a downstream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, said boom being composed of timbers connected together end to end, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a downstream direction and secured at the oflshore ends to the boom, cables extending from the anchorage end of the deflector to and connected in spaced relation to the bracing timbers, and a pervious apron depending from the boom.

7. A current deflector comprising a boom anchored at one end and projecting therefrom into a stream in a downstream direction at an angle to the flow of the stream, bracing timbers projecting from the shore of the stream in a down-stream direction and secured at the oti-shore ends to the beam, said bracing timbers being in substantially floating relation to the stream, flexible connections extending from the anchorage end of the deflector to the several bracing timbers and secured to said timbers, and a wire screen fast to and depending from the boom and disposed lengthwise thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LAVRENGE KELLEY. lVitnesses CORNELIUS GANT, NETTTE SOBLINGER. 

